Warren County Spotlight
October 11 -14, 2024
The Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology (PSO) is promoting counties across the state to explore its hotspots and find as many birds as we can.
On October 11th, join us as we lead a 4-day concentrated effort to bird Warren County! This is another one of the state’s most under-birded counties but there is so much to explore. We are hitting this NW county in the hopes of getting some late fall migrants, both large and small. We have field trips & birding activities lined up for all 4 days. Warren currently sits 54th all time for species out of 67 and 61st all time for total checklists. It needs some attention and love.
As a group, we want to document as many birds as possible during this extended weekend. Birders are invited to tag along with others or explore the county’s game lands, water areas, fields and wild areas on their own terms.
Notable hotspots for the county can be found here https://pabirds.org/siteguide/pacountypage.php?CountyID=62
And the ebird hotspot link https://ebird.org/region/US-PA-123/hotspots
We have created a Discord text/chat group for that spotlight to get out the word for rarities and group information, to join that, here is that link or you can search for the Warren County Spotlight under the PSO Spotlights & Events. https://discord.com/channels/1111453242149306441/1201592524075192482
For anyone who is going to be birding during 4-day birding spotlight, we ask you share your ebird checklists with PSO Birding Data then we can keep track easier. We have also created an eBird Trip Report link where pictures, checklists, etc. will be available for everyone to enjoy.
Here is the link for the eBird trip report https://ebird.org/tripreport/253364
We will be sharing pics and updates on the Warren County Birding Spotlight event page on Facebook, here is that link https://www.facebook.com/share/ECVnv1hxcLPyVear/
Birders of all skill levels are invited to join-in and contribute! If you just want to learn more about birds or you can help others and our challenge, we want you to be involved!
Schedule
FRIDAY OCT 11
8:00 a.m. Tidioute Riverside Rec-Trek Trail, Tidioute PA. 41.6800 N, -79.4207 W
Leaders: Elizabeth and Ken Nicholson.
This 4.5-mile gravel and natural-surface trail follows the west bank of the Allegheny River south from the town of Tidioute, passing through oak, oak/pine and riparian forest. Parking is just off of State Route 127 on the west end of town. No bathroom facilities.
Lunch in Tidioute or picnic lunch at Tidioute Boat Launch
Afternoon trip:
Economite Road, Allegheny National Forest. 41.6692 N, -79.3592 W (south end)
Leader: Carole Winslow
This loop road starts in nice grassland with a pond, then after 0.4 miles continues another 2 miles through a mix of white pine and northern hardwood forest, then into extensive plantations of red and Scots pine and larch, with numerous trails throughout. No bathroom facilities.
Possible Evening Activity:
Saw-whet banding beginning 7:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. with John Fedak. Location TBD but probably Jake’s Rocks or Rimrock recreation areas of the Allegheny National Forest. Note this activity may be canceled due to rainy or windy weather.
SATURDAY OCT 12
8:00 a.m. Meet at Martin Road entrance to Akeley Swamp (State Gamelands 282) at 41.9808 N, -79.1365 W.
Probable Leaders: Alejandra MacNeil, Jim Berry
This PA Important Bird Area is the premier wetland in the area (east of Crawford and Erie Counties, anyway). It supports a mosaic of wetland communities and open water including a section of floodplain forest along Conewango Creek, a 158-acre impoundment, alder shrub swamp, wet herbaceous openings, flooded timber areas, forested stands, and cultivated and fallow fields. Easy walking along the now abandoned Penn-Central railroad grade which runs north 1.3 miles to the NY state border. No bathroom facilities.
Lunch in North Warren or Warren
Probable afternoon trip:
Chapman State Park, Clarendon, PA.
We can meet at parking area just past dam (41.7536 N, 79.1705 W). This 862-acre park includes the 68-acre Chapman Lake, multiple camping and picnic areas, plus several extensive conifer plantations, bottomland marsh complex surrounded by hemlock forest, and extensive hardwood forests, all surrounded by State Gamelands 29 and the Allegheny National Forest. Bathroom facilities.
Possible Evening Activity:
Saw-whet banding beginning 7:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. with John Fedak. Location TBD but probably Jake’s Rocks or Rimrock recreation areas of the Allegheny National Forest. Note this activity may be canceled due to rainy or windy weather.
SUNDAY OCT 13
8:00 a.m. Newbold Estate/Anders Run Natural Area, Irvine, PA. (41.8248 N, 79.2759 W)
Probable Leaders: Scott Stoleson, Don Watts, Travis Sukow
These two adjacent sites include the 96-acre Anders Run tract of Cornplanter State Forest and the 186-acre Newbold Estate managed by the Allegheny National Forest. The former includes streamside old growth white pine, hemlock and oak forest, the latter a mix of mature riverside forest, fields, ponds, marshes, thickets, streams, and pine plantations, with many great views of the Allegheny River. Both have extensive trail systems, but no bathroom facilities.
Lunch in Warren or at Forester Restaurant
Potential afternoon trips:
Jakes Rocks Recreation Area, Allegheny National Forest. 41.8399 N, 78.9756 W.
Scenic vistas among cliffs overlooking the Allegheny Reservoir, with dry oak/pitch pine/heath habitat [rare in this area]. Good places to spot migrating raptors including Golden Eagles. Bathroom facilities.
Hearts Content Recreation Area, Allegheny National Forest. 41.6921 N. 79.2526 W.
This 122-acre tract includes 400+ year old white pine and hemlock old growth as well as a red pine plantation. A moderately steep 1-mile trail goes through the tract. Bathroom facilities.
MONDAY OCT 14
7:00 a.m. Demonstration bird-banding at “Radar’s Cap” banding site, Allegheny National Forest, Clarendon, PA. 41.7387 N, 79.11105 W.
Come join us as we net and band passerines in a regenerating timber harvest to see what beauties stay out of sight in the fall. Likely birds include Blue-headed Vireo, Swainson’s and Hermit thrushes, kinglets, various sparrows, Common Yellowthroats, Tennessee, Magnolia, Yellow-rumped, and Black-throated Green warblers. Photography welcome. No bathroom facilities.
